Combination container, practice golf ball and tee



y 30, 1963 J. D. FERNICOLA 3,099,452

COMBINATION CONTAINER, PRACTICE GOLF BALL AND TEE Filed Feb. 28, 1962 I VVWWQV 6 I INVENTOR JOHN D. FERNiCOLA BY 8 Z5223 ATTORNEY nited Sttes The present invention relates to an article of manufacture consisting of a combination container and practice golf ball.

The article may be used as a container for refreshments and/or medical composition, one of its advantages being that, it may be carried along in the same place reserved for the regular golf balls. It may also be used as a decoration or novelty about the home, clubs, taverns or for a desk ornament.

The article is preferably constructed from a durable resinous material in order that it may be used over and over again.

The construction of the outer end of the neck member provides the same pouring lip regardless of which way the article is tilted for pouring. It also provides a funnel-like portion for easy filling.

The primary object of the invention being broadly to provide an article of a structure such as this that may have more than a single use for increasing its utility.

While its broad objects have been set forth, other objects uses and advantages will become more apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed, the invention resides in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated and described in the accompanying drawings and specifications and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of the combination container and practice golf ball article.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view of the ball when used as a container and the stopper therefor shown partly in elevation and partly in section.

FIGURE 3 is a view in elevation showing the ball being used as a practice golf ball in which the ball is resting upon the outer edge of the neck member.

FIGURE 4 is a view in elevation showing the ball being used as a practice ball and the use of the stopper as a tee.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the outer end of the combination stopper and tee.

In referring to the drawings like and similar reference characters are used to designate like parts throughout the several views.

The article comprises a substantial spherical housing, or body portion and is substantially the same size as a conventional golf ball having the customary markings of a golf ball upon its outer surface. The sphercial body having in one small area, a hollow neck portion '12, in which, the hollow provides an opening 12 from the outside to the interior of the ball, as is well shown in FIGURE 2.

The inner wall 12' of the opening is tapered slightly outwardly in the direction of its outer end and the outermost edge 12" of the neck is flared to a greater degree than the inner side wall of the neck all of which will be referred to later in the specifications.

The neck 12 is provided with a stopper S, which is in the form of a golf tee. The stopper is formed with a circular recessed portion 16, the recess being designated by numeral 16' in FIGURES 1 and 5. The curvature of the recess being substantially the same, or greater than the curvature of the outside surface of the ball. The stopper S is further provided with a portion 18 which is adapted to fit snugly into the neck '12. In order to hold the stopper in place and prevent its accidental displacement, it is provided with a thread 20 which is adapted to engage similar female threads 22 in the neck 12. The threaded portion of the stopper is also tapered with substantially the same degree of taper as the inner surface of the neck member. However, the stopper is not intended to be limited to the use of a thread. The stopper and neck may have any type of holding means that may be adequate for holding the stopper against accidental dislodgement such as an engaging lip (not shown) carried on the stopper which would be adapted to engage a suitable recess or any other suitable type of holding means associated with the opening through the neck. Extending outwardly from the portion 18 of the stopper and on the side opposite the recesses portion 16', is spike portion 24, which is adapted to be pushed into the earth when the stopper is being used as a golf tee and which is well shown in FIGURE 4.

When the combination stopper and tee is being used as a stopper the outer edge of the portion 16 is used to hold and turn the same, and for this reason it is extended outwardly from the outer edge of the neck portion to prevent interference with the neck when the stopper is either inserted or removed.

When used as a container, the stopper 8 may be removed and the ball filled with any desired contents such as stimulants, medication etc. as shown at 15 in FIG- URES 1 and 2, which may be for the pleasures or necessity of the party. When the desired amount of ingredients have been placed in the hollow ball the stopper S is inserted and tightened down. The stopper is so designed as to tightly seal the contents within the ball. The ball may then be set upon the broad outer edge -16 of the stopper similar to the pedestal of a lamp or vase as shown in FIGURE 1.

When the ball is to be used as a practice ball of course it is empty. When empty the ball may be used by sitting it on its neck 12 as shown in FIGURE 3, the neck being about the average height of a standard golf tee. Should the player desire his ball higher, he removes the stopper and tees up his ball by placing the spherical surface of the ball on the portion '16, as shown in FIGURE 4. 1f the player wishes to better simulate a golf ball when using the combination stopper-tee the neck may be turned so that it is out of sight of the player by turning it to the side and downwardly adjacent the opposite side of the tee from the player.

The complete article is preferably constructed of a resin plastic material, the container portion, or the simulated ball will be the same color as the regular golf balls, but the combination stopper and tee will be of various colors to distinguish the type of refreshments or medical compositions in that particular container.

While a specific form of the invention has been illustrated and described it is not intended as a limitation as the scope of the invention is best defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An article of manufacture of a combination container and practice golf ball comprising;

(a) a spherical hollow body of elastic resinous plastic material including a spherical outer surface,

(b) an integral hollow neck portion extending outwardly from a small area of the said body adapted to form an opening from the outside into the hollow interior of the body portion,

(0) a stopper having integrally formed an outer portion, an intermediate portion, and an inner end portion,

(d) the outer portion of the stopper being larger than the outer edge of the neck and extending outwardly therefrom for manually manipulating the stopper, the intermediate portion being of such dimensions as to engage the inner surface of the neck portion for securing the stopper in the neck, and the inner end portion extending inwardly from the intermediate portion to a point,

(e) the outer end surface of the outer portion of the stopper being concaved and adapted to support the body upon its spherical outer surface when the stopper is in reversed position.

2. An article of manufacture of a combination container and practice golf ball as claimed in claim 1 in which the neck is provided with a flared funnel-like outer end and the outer portion of the stopped having a tapered under surface of substantially the same taper as the flared end of the neck for covering the surface of the flared end to exclude foreign matter therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,245,835 Voelker Nov. 6, 1917 2,446,407 Brenner Aug. 3, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 148,648 Australia Oct. 15, 1952 

1. AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE OF A COMBINATION CONTAINER AND PRACTICE GOLF BALL COMPRISING; (A) A SPHERICAL HOLLOW BODY OF ELASTIC RESINOUS PLASTIC MATERIAL INCLUDING A SPHERICAL OUTER SURFACE, (B) AN INTEGRAL HOLLOW NECK PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM A SMALL AREA OF THE SAID BODY ADAPTED TO FORM AN OPENING FROM THE OUTSIDE INTO THE HOLLOW INTERIOR OF THE BODY PORTION, (C) A STOPPER HAVING INTEGRALLY FORMED AN OUTER PORTION, AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION, AND AN INNER END PORTION, (D) THE OUTER PORTION OF THE STOPPER BEING LARGER THAN THE OUTER EDGE OF THE NECK AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM FOR MANUALLY MANIPULATING THE STOPPER, THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION BEING OF SUCH DIMENSIONS AS TO ENGAGE THE INNER SURFACE OF THE NECK PORTION FOR SECURING THE STOPPER IN THE NECK, AND THE INNER END PORTION EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION TO A POINT, (E) THE OUTER END SURFACE OF THE OUTER PORTION OF THE STOPPER BEING CONCAVED AND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE BODY UPON ITS SPHERICAL OUTER SURFACE WHEN THE STOPPER IS IN REVERSED POSITION. 